noun B2 Upper-Intermediate

iceman

Iceman (noun) means someone who delivers or sells block ice, especially from the days before home refrigerators. Example: “The iceman used to come round twice a week before everyone had a fridge.”

noun

Someone who delivers or sells block ice, especially from the days before home refrigerators.

"The iceman used to come round twice a week before everyone had a fridge."

"Her grandfather worked as an iceman in the 1930s."

Informal: someone who stays completely calm and unemotional under pressure, especially a hired killer in fiction.

"The negotiator was a real iceman, never raising his voice even in a crisis."

"In the film, the hitman is nicknamed "the Iceman" for his cold efficiency."

How to use iceman

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a person who used to deliver ice for iceboxes, or (more commonly today) someone who's unnervingly calm under pressure.

Common pairings

cool as an iceman the iceman cometh

Word forms

icemen plural

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The _____ used to come round twice a week before everyone had a fridge.

Etymology

A straightforward compound of "ice" and "man" — someone whose job or personality centres on ice, literal or figurative.

Synonyms

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hatchet man

Related words

enforcer

Rhymes for iceman

Beeman fireman lineman baseman foreman caveman freeman Bateman Coleman spaceman nobleman horseman

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Frequently asked questions

What does “iceman” mean?

The word “iceman” means someone who delivers or sells block ice, especially from the days before home refrigerators. In plain terms, either a person who used to deliver ice for iceboxes, or (more commonly today) someone who's unnervingly calm under pressure.

How do you use “iceman” in a sentence?

Here is “iceman” used in a sentence: “The iceman used to come round twice a week before everyone had a fridge.”

What part of speech is “iceman”?

“Iceman” is a noun.

How many meanings does “iceman” have?

“Iceman” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: someone who delivers or sells block ice, especially from the days before home refrigerators.

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